Stones on Decca

Let It Bleed

Mono LK5025

Stereo SKL5025

LIB was issued on December 5th of 1969, the day before Altamont was bleeding.

Musically this is one of the best Stones LP’s ever made. It has a lot of strong titles on it and as a matter of fact all songs has at some point been included in the set list during the “modern touring era” of the band, being the last twenty years or so. It also features two musichians that never met in person, Brian Jones and Mick Taylor. I did personally ask Taylor about this a few years back and he confirmed it to be so.

Let It Bleed is also a wonderful LP to collect as there are lots of versions existing. The LP sold in large quantities for a number of years, resulting in lots of reprints. Another contributing factor is that it came out just around the time when lots of production changes were taking place at Decca, label change from non boxed to boxed and mono production being dropped. This is also the first LP were you can say that the boxed logo is an original. You could probobly have found four different LIBs in the shops at the same time in the beginning of 1970, Mono non boxed and boxed, Stereo non boxed and boxed.

By having a look on matrix, mother and stamper numbers together with label type it also gives an indication that non boxed and boxed logos were in production on the same time. I have a boxed with -1W matrix and a non boxed with a -5W matrix in my collection.

In addition to the label versions there are a number of other things to look out for. The cover has lots of differences, so has the inner bag.

You also have the famous poster, the poster stickers and the poster text on the cover. Taking into consideration all differences found on LIB, you may easily end up with a collection with something like 25-30 different LP's

Vinyl versions

Non grooved label

Only non grooved labels are existing of LIB as the grooved label type was not in production after summer of 1968. No other vinyl versions are existing on Let It Bleed either.

Cover versions

Then again the cover of Let It Bleed is another story. Lots of versions are existing. To be noted is that the same cover was used for Mono and Stereo LP's in 1969 and 1970 so all versions pictured here are only cover versions. The record inside was either a Mono or a Stereo. This is for the first three covers, the fourth, Clouth and Baker, was without the hole and only for Stereo LP's

Printed By

There are four different "Sleeve printed" versions

"Sleeve printed in England" is found only on covers having the Mono / Stereo hole in the upper right corner. In use probably 1969 and 1970

"Senol Printing Limited" is probably the first company that did LIB sleeves. This cover is found only with the Mono / Stereo hole in the upper right corner. In use probably 1969

The majority of sleeves are made by "Upton Printing Group". Both Mono and Stereo LP's can be found with this cover. All of them has the Mono / Stereo hole in the upper right corner

"Clout & Baker Ltd" covers can be found from mid 70's and for the remaining Decca production. No Mono / Stereo holes on these covers and naturally, only Stereo LP’s inside.

The upper right corner

The Mono / Stereo hole was in production from 1969 until early 70's

Red inner bag = red in the hole = Mono LP inside = catalogue number LK5025

Blue inner bag = blue in the hole = Stereo LP inside = catalogue number SKL5025

"Printed in England" / "Senol Printing Limited" / "Upton Printing Group" covers all had this hole

"Clout & Baker Ltd" covers from end of 70's have (POSTER INCLUDED) text added. LP's inside are still blue DECCA Stereo boxed labels. No Clout & Baker covers have been found with the Mono / Stereo hole

"Clout & Baker Ltd" covers from early 80's have no Poster Included text. The vinyls are with silver coloured labels.

Inner bag Versions

All original LIB's have an innerbag like this. Songs and personnel on the songs are listed. Red bag for Mono and blue bag for Stereo

Shortly after the issue of the LP, The London Bach Choir got upset with something on the LP and they did not want their name to be associated with the record anymore. A quick fix of the situation was that Decca coverd up The London Bach Choir with a big black bar. This was done on both Mono and Stereo bags

Original bag

"London Bach Choir" cover up

The London Bach Choir was then left out on later inner bags. This corrected version is known only on Stereo bags.

Poster

The poster is included in all original first prints from end of 1969 and beginning of 1970. Most of the original posters are made on a glossy paper but there are exceptions, at least a few LP’s sold in Sweden in 1969 are with nonglossy posters. All reprints from end of the 70's are made on a nonglossy paper and do not have the same glossy shine as the original ones.

The sticker on the left was used in 1969 and 1970 to indicate that the LP had the poster with it. The sticker is almost always on the front cover but there are copies known with the sticker on the back side as well. Covers with reprints of the poster from the end of the 70's has no sticker but this text on the back cover.

Booklet

A 12 page booklet was available around the same time when the LP was sold as new. The booklet was separately handed out to buyers in the shops and it was NOT included in the LP from the factory. Some people who got the booklet did put it into the record sleeve and as a result of this, it is generally believed that the booklet came with the LP from the factory itself.

A Swedings collector, Mats Lindgren, has confirmed this. He bought the LP on the very same day it was issued in December of 1969 and he was separately given the booklet in the recordshop.

Label Versions

Lots of label version are existing. Again because of the hugh amount of LP's pressed. LIB is one of the few LP’s were you can find both non boxed and boxed LP’s of Mono and Stereo versions. Here are a few of them.

Mono nonboxed label

Side 1

Side 1 / Design No 5 / Version 1 (LK5025/S1/D5/V1)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: No tax code

Publishers: Mirage and Immediate on the left side of the label

This label has the publishing year on the left side of the label even though the standard location on all late 60’s labels should be at the bottom.

Side 1 / Design No 5 / Version 2 (LK5025/S1/D5/V2)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: No tax code

Publishers: After each song

The publishing year is at the bottom of the label and the side number is on the right side

Side 1 / Design No 5 / Version 3 (LK5025/S1/D5/V3)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: No tax code

Publishers: After each song

Side number is on the left side of the label

Mono nonboxed label

Side 2

Side 2 / Design No 5 / Version 1 (LK5025/S2/D5/V1)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: No tax code

Publishers: Mirage is on the left side of the label

This label has the publishing year on the left side of the label even though the standard location on all late 60’s labels should be at the bottom.

Side 2 / Design No 5 / Version 2 (LK5025/S2/D5/V2)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: No tax code

Publishers: Mirage is on the left side of the label

The publishing year is at the bottom of the label and the side number is on the right side. Mirage Music is under the BIEM box

Side 2 / Design No 5 / Version 3 (LK5025/S2/D5/V3)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: No tax code

Publishers: Mirage is on the left side of the label

Mirage Music is above the BIEM box and the side number on the left side of the spindle hole.

Label combinations on nonboxed Mono

Side 1 - Design No 5 / Version 1 Side 2 - Design No 5 / Version 1

(S1/D5V1 + S2/D5/V1)

Side 1 - Design No 5 / Version 2 Side 2 - Design No 5 / Version 2

(S1/D5V2 + S2/D5/V2)

Side 1 - Design No 5 / Version 3 Side 2 - Design No 5 / Version 3

(S1/D5V3 + S2/D5/V3)

Side 1 - Design No 5 / Version 3 Side 2 - Design No 5 / Version 1

(S1/D5V3 + S2/D5/V1)

Thanks to Darin Robinson for informing me about this combination

Mono boxed label

Side 1

Side 1 / Design No 6 / Version 1 (LK5025/S1/D6/V1)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Times New Romans looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

Catalogue number in small fonts and Times New Romans looking font style

Side 1 / Design No 6 / Version 2 (LK5025/S1/D6/V2)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

Catalogue number is a bit bigger than on the previous label and the font style used is Ariel. There is also a dot in between the LK and 5025.

Mono boxed label

Side 2

Side 2 / Design No 6 / Version 1 (LK5025/S2/D6/V1)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Times New Romans looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

Catalogue number in small fonts and Times New Romans looking font style

Side 2 / Design No 6 / Version 2 (LK5025/S2/D6/V2)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

Catalogue number is a bit bigger than on the previous label and the font style used is Ariel. There is also a dot in between the LK and 5025.

Stereo nonboxed labels

Side 1

Side 1 / Design No 9 / Version 1 (SKL5025/S1/D9/V1)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: Tax code is missing

Publishers: After each song title

Speed is missing on this label. Master tape number is upside down

Side 1 / Design No 9 / Version 2 (SKL5025/S1/D9/V2)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: Tax code is missing

Publishers: After each song title

Speed is included on the label. The master tape number is the right way.

Stereo nonboxed labels

Side 2

Side 2 / Design No 9 / Version 1 (SKL5025/S2/D9/V1)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: Tax code is missing

Publishers: After each song title

Speed is missing on this label. Master tape number is upside down

Side 2 / Design No 9 / Version 2 (SKL5025/S2/D9/V2)

Font: Ariel looking font style

Tax Code: Tax code is missing

Publishers: After each song title

Speed is included on the label. The master tape number is the right way.

Label combinations on nonboxed Stereo

Side 1 - Design No 9 / Version 1 Side 2 - Design No 9 / Version 1

(S1/D9/V1 + S2/D9/V1)

Side 1 - Design No 9 / Version 2 Side 2 - Design No 9 / Version 1

(S1/D9/V2 + S2/D9/V1)

Side 1 - Design No 9 / Version 2 Side 2 - Design No 9 / Version 2

(S1/D9/V2 + S2/D9/V2)

Label combination nonboxed and boxed

An interesting label discovery I did in the end of the 90's on the stereo LP was a copy up for sale in Sweden by a record dealer; side one had a boxed label and side two had a non boxed label! I did not however buy that one as asking price was too high. Another copy surfaced on e-bay in August of 2009. But this one has the non boxed label on side 1 and the boxed on side 2

Here is another LP with the same label combination. This LP is my collection and has the following Matrix numbers:

Side 1, nonboxed label D9/V1 with Matrix XZAL-9363-P-5W, Mother 1, Stamper BK

Side 2, boxed label D10/V4 with Matrix XZAL-9364-P-4W, Mother 1, Stamper K

Stereo boxed labels

Side 1

Side 1 / Design No 10 / Version 1 (SKL5025/S1/D10/V1)

Publisihing year: On the left side of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

This has to be one of the earliest boxed stereo labels. The design is very much looking like one of the nonboxed mono labels

Side 1 / Design No 10 / Version 2 (SKL5025/S1/D10/V2)

Publisihing year: On the left side of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

This is another very early boxed stereo label. Speed has been added to this version, otherwise it has a similar design as the previous label, S1/D10/V1.

Side 1 / Design No 10 / Version 3 (SKL5025/S1/D10/V3)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: 1970 to 1972

The big size catalogue number is still is use on this one. Most probaly an eary 70’s printing

Side 1 / Design No 10 / Version 4 (SKL5025/S1/D10/V4)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Times New Romanlooking text font.

Estimated use: 1970 to late 70's

The catalogue number is in a smaller size and the text is in Times New Roman. Almost all labels on other Stones LP’s got the publishing year shifted to the right side of the spindle hole from 1972 and on. Let It Bleed labels were not changed for some reason and this label version can still be found on late 70’s pressings.

Side 1 / Design No 10 / Version 5 (SKL5025/S1/D10/V5)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Ariel looking text font.

Estimated use: 1970 to 1972

Standard 70’s label in Ariel text font. Speed is missing again and the publishers are noted after each song title.

Stereo boxed labels

Side 2

Side 2 / Design No 10 / Version 1 (SKL5025/S2/D10/V1)

Publisihing year: On the left side of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

This has to be one of the earliest boxed stereo labels. The design is very much looking like one of the nonboxed mono labels

Side 2 / Design No 10 / Version 2 (SKL5025/S2/D10/V2)

Publisihing year: On the left side of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: Late 1969 and early 1970

This is another very early boxed stereo label. Speed has been added to this version, otherwise it has a similar design as the previous label, S1/D10/V1.

Side 2 / Design No 10 / Version 3 (SKL5025/S2/D10/V3)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Ariel looking font

Estimated use: 1970 to 1972

The big size catalogue number is still is use on this one. Most probaly an eary 70’s printing

Side 2 / Design No 10 / Version 4 (SKL5025/S2/D10/V4)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Times New Roman looking text font.

Estimated use: 1970 to late 70's

Side 2 / Design No 10 / Version 5 (SKL5025/S2/D10/V5)

Publisihing year: At the bottom of the label

Font style: Ariel looking text font.

Estimated use: 1970 to 1972

Standard 70’s label in Ariel text font. Speed is missing again.

Label combinations on boxed Stereo

Side 1 - Design No 10 / Version 1 Side 2 - Design No 10 / Version 1

(S1/D10/V1 + S2/D10/V1)

Side 1 - Design No 10 / Version 2 Side 2 - Design No 10 / Version 2

(S1/D10/V2 + S2/D10/V2)

Side 1 - Design No 10 / Version 3 Side 2 - Design No 10 / Version 3

(S1/D10/V3 + S2/D10/V3)

Side 1 - Design No 10 / Version 4 Side 2 - Design No 10 / Version 4

(S1/D10/V4 + S2/D10/V4)

Side 1 - Design No 10 / Version 5 Side 2 - Design No 10 / Version 5

(S1/D10/V5 + S2/D10/V5)

Boxed label an original on Let It Bleed

The lay out on the boxed stereo label here is almost identical to the non boxed mono label. This would indicate that these two labels were designed and done by the same person at the same time. Most probably the printing of the labels took place on the same time and in the same place. This design may be the very first boxed label and should be considered as an original stereo Let It Bleed.